PSNC have just announced that there is to be a 2nd Quality Payments Scheme for the remainder of 2018/19. Please see the announcement below.

PSNC, NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) have agreed to update both the gateway and quality criteria for a revised Quality Payments Scheme for the remaining six months of 2018/19.

The revised scheme will have a review point on 15th February 2019, with contractors having a four-week window throughout February in which to make their declarations.

PSNC has negotiated a correction period, so that any contractors who are found by NHS England not to have met the gateway criteria will be given time to correct this so that they can receive any Quality Payments for which they have met the requirements.

The review point has been set to allow for this period, while also giving contractors as much time as possible to meet the updated criteria within this financial year.

The negotiations on the scheme have taken place independently of any discussions on wider community pharmacy funding for 2018/19 because PSNC and NHS England wanted to give contractors as much time to prepare for the upcoming February review point as possible.

PSNC’s objectives were to ensure that all the available funding for Quality Payments would be accessible to contractors, and that any changes to the criteria would be manageable for them.

The changes went through several rounds of negotiations in which they were subject to adjustments proposed by PSNC, before they were agreed.

The changes to the Quality Payments Scheme criteria all help community pharmacy to move in the direction that the sector wants to – contributing to patient safety, clinical effectiveness and public health.

PSNC felt that it was important to signal to HM Government the sector’s ongoing willingness to work in these priority areas at this early stage in rebuilding constructive working relationships with them.

For full details of the new changes and statements from PSNC please visit: ow.ly/TDJL30lYInZ

Gateshead Council have informed us that their substance misuse contract has been awarded to CGL. Details are in the letter below. The letter is self explanatory and the council have told us that current contract arrangements with pharmacies delivering supervised consumption are not affected.

Chiesi Ltd have asked us to let Pharmacists know about an COPD educational update event they have got running. The event is on the 20th September at the Newcastle Marriott. The event invite is below. If you are interested in attending please contact David Paterson (details contained in the flyer). Any queries regarding this event should also be directed to David.

A PDF of the the invite can be download by clicking either of the images above.